The Begining of One & The Push Towards Another
by Talisa
Summary: C/A, G/F- Takes place right after Wating in the Wings, Angel confesses his feelings for Cordy


I watched as Angel walked gruffly up the stairs, trying to keep his eyes off the obscene sight that was Groo and Cordelia. I felt sorry for him, like I told Wesley, I thought that Angel and Cordelia would finally realize that they were made for each other and do something about it. But I guess fate's gotta throw you a strike once or twice before you can hit a perfect homerun. Not that I'm referencing any sexual baseball terminology, just the concept. I was about to go tell Cordelia something along the lines like she was making a big mistake, which was sure not gonna come out that way, when I felt two hands wrap around my waist from behind and a head rest on my shoulder.  
  
"What's up with those two?" I heard the low voice of Charles whisper into my ear.  
  
"Lorne says he just showed up while we were at the ballet." I reached down and put my arms over his.  
  
"Where's Angel and why ain't he down here defending his lady?" I looked back over at Cordelia and the man in the corner as they kissed, again.  
  
"Probably `cause of that." I nodded in the direction of the liplock in the corner.  
  
"Oh, yea. That can't be helping matters. I thought you said that Cordelia was in denial-love with him, what's up with the smoochin' the weird guy?" I laughed to myself, causing Charles's arms to jump a little.  
  
"I think because, you know...they can...do stuff?" He still looked confused. I raised my eyebrows to try to indicate the words I couldn't possibly say to him at the moment.  
  
"Oh, OH! You mean `cause Cordelia can get `happy' with this dude and not with Angel?" He smiled down at me; I knew he was thinking about something he shouldn't be thinking about. Well, not at least right at this moment.  
  
"Yes. That's exactly what I mean." I pulled away and turned to face him.  
  
"I think I'm going to go change." I intertwined his fingers with mine, causing his face to sneak a mischievous smile.  
  
"But I like your dress. It makes you look..."  
  
"Rich? Classy? Sophisticated?" I interrupted.  
  
"I was going to say beautiful, but you just add all those things too." I let out a little giggle.  
  
"I don't want it to get winkled though, Cordelia and I have to take them back to the store tomorrow." He looked back at the desk where Lorne had gone to console Wesley.  
  
"Well, okay. But let me come with you. I really don't want to stand in the awkward room much longer." I smiled and tugged on his arm, pulling him up the stairs with me. About halfway up I looked back over at Cordelia and she flashed me a discreet thumbs up. I immediately felt my entire face go red with embarrassment. This must look awful, but I was too happy to care at that moment. I let go of his hand at the top of the stairs and he put a gentle hand at the small of my back as we walked down the hall and into my room. As we entered his hand slipped away from my back. I walked to my dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt, knowing he was staring at me, waiting for me to say something.  
  
"Turn around..." I giggled. He smiled again, but did as he was told. I slowly un-zipped my dress letting t fall to the floor. I slipped on the jeans and shirt. I looked back up at him, his back still towards me.  
  
"So you listened?" I asked as I sat down on the bed and he turned around.  
  
"What did you want me to do? Turn around?" That mischievous grin crossed his face.  
  
"Not necessarily wanted, more like expected." I bit my lip as awkward silence filled the air.  
  
"So you really think I'm like that?" He smiled while he caressed the side of my face with his hand.  
  
"No... I just mean..." He interrupted me by bringing one finger down to my lips, silencing me.  
  
"I know what you mean." He assured me. He leaned in, cautiously removing his finger; he brushed his lips against mine. His hand moved to the back of my head as he deepened the kiss, my hand came to rest upon his shoulder. Slowly, but surely, our mouths seemed to do a dance as his mouth opened mine and he slipped his tongue in to lengthen the dance. I lay back onto my bed as he rolled on top of me. With his one hand still cupping the back of my head, his other ran down my body, stopping right above my left hip. He lifted a small section my shirt up and rested his second hand there, his fingers gently massaging the small of my back.  
  
"Hey, Fred? Have you seen...Oh my God!" I heard Cordelia exclaim somewhere near the door. Charles rolled off of me with a start and I sat up a little too quickly.  
  
"Umm, I'm sorry. Should I come back later?" She asked, trying not to laugh.  
  
"No, we... we're just fine, Cordelia. What did you want?" I glanced over at Charles, whose dark skin I swear was turning a rosy pink.  
  
"I was just wondering if you had seen Angel?" Beside me, Charles snorted as I almost had done when I heard the question. Was she really that naïve not to be seeing what she was doing to Angel?  
  
"Uhh, yea... just a second. I want to talk to you first. I'll be right back, k?" Charles nodded as I walked out into the hallway with Cordelia.  
  
"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Cordelia asked as I closed my door behind me.  
  
"You really didn't see it, did you?"  
  
"See what?" She looked totally confused.  
  
"Either that or you're in serious denial." I laughed a bit, as she still looked confused.  
  
"See what?" She repeated.  
  
"The forty billion shades of jealous Angel turned when you ran and kissed that other man."  
  
"What?!?" She looked surprised, which just made me giggle more.  
  
"I thought the only reason you weren't with Angel is because you didn't think he liked you like that?"  
  
"He doesn't." She stated, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself more than me.  
  
"What do you think he was trying to tell you while he babbling all that crap about you two growing?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I don't need special powers to see he was trying to tell you he likes you, like the more than a friend liking."  
  
"No." Again, she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself more than me.  
  
"Oh really? First, you like him, don't you?"  
  
"Of course. I'm practically in love with the man, but he can never know. I'm telling you, Fred, he doesn't like me like that."  
  
"We'll just see about that. I have a plan." I took her hand and dragged her down the hall to Angel's room.  
  
"What are we doing?" She asked, severely panicked.  
  
"You'll see. All you have to do is sneak in, wait in one of the shadows and just listen to Angel, okay?"  
  
"No, Fred. I don't want to do this."  
  
"That's too bad, we're all sick of you two stuck in the river in Egypt."  
"What?"  
  
"Denial. Nevermind, just do as I said." I turned the doorknob and entered Angel's bedroom. In the back of the room I saw Angel hunched over Conner's crib, watching him sleep. While his back was toward me, I pulled Cordy into the room with me and pushed he behind one of the corner walls next to the bed.  
  
"Hey, Angel." He looked up at me.  
  
"Hi." He said less than enthusiastic. Not that I could blame him. I bet he'd rather see Cordelia in my place, ready to confess her undying love for him.  
  
"He's so cute when he sleeps." I walked to the crib and peeked over the edge with Angel.  
  
"Aren't all babies?" He asked.  
  
"Nah, I think Conner is cuter than all sleeping babies." I ran my hand over the baby's dark haired head.  
"So is everyone gone?" He asked, looking up at me.  
  
"Not quite, Wes was still talking with Lorne last time I checked and I think Gunn fell asleep." I lied.  
  
"Downstairs?"  
  
"Umm, no," He chuckled a bit, getting the picture.  
  
"So tonight was good for everyone?" I didn't say anything.  
  
"Great. I think we all should go out more often." He surmised, standing back up and going to sit in a chair near Conner's crib.  
  
"No it wasn't."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Not everyone got what they wanted."  
  
"Who didn't?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Fred, I'm fine. Besides the smiling guys from hell, tonight was great." He lied.  
  
"Really? So it did bother you when Cordelia came home and kissed that Grooseloog dude after just passionately making out with you?"  
  
"Fred, we were possessed by spirits. Cordelia's free to kiss anyone she wants."  
"But you want to be the one she kisses, don't you?" He looked up at me, anger and desperation in his eyes.  
  
"Fred." He warned.  
  
"Angel!" I retorted back.  
  
"Just answer the question!" I pushed.  
  
"Yes, of course I want to be the one she kisses. I want to be the one she shares her heart, her soul with, but that's never going to happen with us."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because she kisses him." He yelled back.  
  
"She doesn't want to, she wants you to kiss her."  
  
"And how do you know that?"  
  
"Because I told her." Cordelia walked around the corner, making Angel jump to his feet.  
  
"My work is done here." I giggled as I quickly stepped out the door, letting them figure the rest out for themselves. I walked down the hall to my room. Turning the handle and quietly stepping inside, I found Charles asleep on my bed. Giggling to myself at how cute he was I turned out the light and crawled in next to him. His arm reached up and draped over my hip as I scooted in closer to him.  
  
"So how'd everything go with Cordelia and Angel?" He whispered into my ear.  
  
"I don't know, but at least everything's out on the table now." I felt him kiss the top of my head as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. 


End file.
